


Keep Your Frenemies Closer

by FleetSparrow



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1980s, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:08:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21637867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow
Summary: Jason goes out patrolling on his own and runs into a familiar pseudo-enemy.
Relationships: Selina Kyle & Jason Todd
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42
Collections: Robin Christmas Exchange 2019





	Keep Your Frenemies Closer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reisling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reisling/gifts).



> I kinda mixed Jason's two origin stories together for this, because bb!Jason is so precious.

Batman was off on a League mission when Jason decided to go patrolling by himself. Alfred definitely wouldn’t approve, but better to beg forgiveness than ask permission, Jason thought. Besides, Dick had been solo by his age.

His patrol was an easy one, only a couple of muggers and would-be robbers around. He was actually starting to get bored; at least with Batman, he had someone to talk to. Then, Jason spotted her.

Catwoman.

She was going across the rooftops, so Jason followed her. If Jason caught her, Batman would be proud of him, even if he was kind of dating her. Jason crept up on her silently, never losing sight of her until she rounded the corner of a rooftop stairwell. When he got there, the rooftop was empty.

“Aw, nuts,” he said.

“Looking for someone, little bird?”

Jason whirled around. She wasn’t there.

Catwoman laughed and Jason looked up. She was lounging on top of the stairwell.

“Where’s your daddy, little one?”

Jason frowned. “Batman’s around.”

She smiled. “Is he now? And he didn’t come say hello? I’m crushed.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” Jason muttered. “What are you planning to steal this time?”

“You know, sometimes a girl just wants to get out for a while. Take a stroll. Enjoy the view.”

“I doubt it.” He eyed her suspiciously. “Or have you already stolen?”

“My, you’re an untrusting Robin, aren’t you?” She dropped to the roof beside him, her skirt flowing around her boots. “The first one was jealous of me, too.”

“I’m not jealous!” Jason said, a little too quickly.

“Of course not.”

Jason turned around. Catwoman always did this to him, got him so flustered he couldn’t think straight. He could feel her watching him.

“What?”

“I was just thinking,” she said. “If Batman was here, he’d tell me to stop teasing you.” Jason looked back at her. “I tease because I care.”

Jason pouted. “Why should you care about me?”

“You saved my life,” she said. “I don’t forget things like that.”

He shrugged. “It’s just right.”

“But you didn’t have to. You weren’t even Robin, then.”

Jason looked down at his feet, blushing slightly.

Selina touched his shoulder. “You’re a good kid. I can see why he chose you.”

Jason blushed harder.

She leaned down until she was level with him. “Is Batman really around here?”

Jason shook his head.

She straightened up and laughed. “Then I think we should have some fun.”

He finally looked up at her. “What kind of fun?”

“The kind Batman wouldn’t approve of.”

Jason narrowed his eyes. Catwoman’s idea of fun could be dangerous, but maybe it was better if he kept an eye on her, just in case.

“OK.”

Selina grinned. “Come on.”

She led him across the city, heading down to the poorer areas of Gotham. Jason was intimately familiar with this part of town.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“You’ll see,” she said.

He frowned, but continued following her. She led him down to a street not far from Crime Alley and over to a small diner tucked away on a side street. Jason knew the place well. He used to scrounge for leftover food from the dumpster out back. He wondered why she had brought them here.

She walked in breezily, as if a couple of costumed characters belonged here, and took a seat. Jason hurried to join her, sitting on the other side of the booth. An older man came up to them, a menu in his hand.

“Catwoman! It’s good to see you again.”

“Same, Tony,” she said. “Have you met my new partner?”

He looked over at Jason. “I’ve seen him around. I didn’t think a cat and a bird could get along.”

“Well, when the Bat’s away, the Cat will play,” she said, smiling.

Tony laughed and laid down the menu for Jason. “Anything on the menu for you two. If it says we don’t have it yet, we got it.”

Jason took a quick glance at the menu, his attention caught between it and Catwoman, and ordered. Selina ordered her meal, and Tony took back the menu and returned to the kitchen.

“So what is this?” Jason asked, once they were alone.

“What do you mean?” Selina replied, stirring the coffee another waiter brought her. “I thought it’d be nice for us to get to know each other. After all, we might be seeing a lot more of each other soon.”

“What do you mean?”

She just smiled at him and Jason flushed. “Yeah, well, don’t count on it. Batman doesn’t date a lot.”

Selina sipped her coffee and watched him squirm for a moment. “Why can’t we be friends?” she asked.

“You steal things,” he said, blandly. “I don’t know. I just—”

“I’m not going to take him away from you,” she said, softly.

Jason looked down at his lap. “I know.”

Their food arrived, but neither of them touched it for a minute. Selina reached out and took Jason’s hand.

“Hey. I’m really not that bad,” she said.

Jason nodded. “Thanks for lunch.”

She squeezed his hand once, then let go, starting on her meal. Jason didn’t realize how hungry he was until he started eating. They didn’t talk much while they ate, but the silence stayed companionable. Selina paid for the meal and the two of them left back to the rooftops of Gotham.

“Was that fun?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Jason said. “But I thought you said Batman wouldn’t approve.”

She laughed. “Oh, and you’re going to hold me to that?”

“Well, I mean, no. I just meant, you know….”

“Let’s go steal some jewels,” she said.

“Catwoman! I can’t do that!”

Selina laughed again. “Your little face!”

Jason blushed.

She took his chin in her hand. “You’re a good boy. Batman’s lucky to have you.”

“I’m a good Robin,” Jason admitted.

She stretched up long like a cat. “Well, if you’re not going to steal with me, I guess I’ll just have to do it by myself.”

“You can’t!” he said. “I’ll bring you in!”

She grinned at him. “Only if you can catch me.” She dove off the roof.

Jason ran to the edge of the roof, grapple line ready, but she was already across the alley on the neighboring fire escape. Jason smiled.

“You’re on, Catwoman.”

He leapt off the roof, swinging after her. After all, Batman would want him to keep an eye on her.


End file.
